Archive for the ‘Small Business’ Category

Every year since 1963, the President of the United States has proclaimed National Small Business Week to recognize the contributions of small businesses to the economic well-being of America. As part of National Small Business Week, the U.S. Small Business Administration recognizes this special impact made by outstanding entrepreneurs and small business owners. In 2011, National Small Business Week will honor the estimated 27.2MILLION small businesses in America. Small businesses are major contributors to the strength of the American economy. More than half of Americanseither own or work for a small business. According to the Small Business Administration, they also create 60-80 percent of new jobs in the country. Yes, you read that correctly: 60 – 80 PERCENT. I didn’t make it up. That number came direct from the Small Business Administration’s website. Politicians, are you listening? Those are numbers we can sink our teeth into. Additionally, small businesses drive innovation and increase U.S. competitiveness. Small businesses ARE are the BACKBONE of this country.

As a Professional Organizer, I am passionate about my small business clients and moving them to the next level of success. If you are ready to move your business forward, contact me to help you!

Ask any person who is in direct sales why they do it, and they will usually tell you they are passionate about their particular product. It is what originally enticed them to the business as a consumer; then came learning they could actually do “this” as a business and make money at it. Somewhere from that first spark of passion to their time in business, most struggle with actually running their businesses and earning what they expected. There are a ton of direct sales companies out there. Here are just a few:

As an organizer who specializes in helping clients with their paperwork, I often see insides the lives of these very talented people . The problem is certainly not with their chosen line of products. Most of the products are fantastic products which are priced reasonably; the companies themselves are well-known, reputable, and well-respected; and with many, the company itself has invested a great deal in marketing and advertising. The rate-limiting step is, quite simply, organization. Take heart, however, the problem is not with you. Most of these businesses are paper-driven businesses with a plethora of forms, brochures, product announcements, price sheets, product information sheets; you name it. It can be absolutely overwhelming! Each person trying to run this type of business wears many hats, to say the least: that of trying to run a “storefront” with products on hand, being the sales person, office manager, and bookkeeper, at a minimum.

Working with clients in these types of businesses, I have successfully put into place systems which help them to run their businesses so that they can focus on what they do best: selling the products they are passion about. I typically hear, “Now, I can really do this!”

Whether you are have been in a direct sales business for a while, you are a newbie to this type of career or are thinking of dipping your toe in the water, being organized is an absolute must. If you want to win at this type of business, start with GETTING ORGANIZED! Then SALE ON, SALE ON, my friends.

Getting fit, dieting, and getting organized make the top New Year’s resolutions EVERY year! If any of those were on your list and you’ve sidetracked a bit; take heart, it’s only February and you can easily get back on track!

I was presenting to a delightful group of ladies just recently. It was on the coldest day of the year thus far, and yet all these women had turned out to learn about more about organizing. Moreover, this group had just finished their regular exercise together at a local church’s facility. When I asked them how often they exercise together, they replied: 3 times a week, and they have been doing it as a group for years! Just for the record, the youngest in the group is about age 50. Let me tell you folks, this was a group of “hot” looking women. They had figures and shapes that would defy those of many 20-year olds! Fitness is not defined by age.

Interestingly, organizing and getting fit have a lot in common, I explained to them:

Both are a lifestyle change.You make a decision to exercise and get fit. You must also make a decision to get organized. Change is not easy, but it is good! You can make a choice to change and start living a more simple and organized life.

Both can be learned.Despite the routine school of thought, people are not “born with the organizing gene.” I was not always organized. I learned as a young mom that when I was more organized, everything else went more smoothly in our home and we all had more peace. I’m still a work in progress and make a commitment to it each day! Organization is a skill which can be learned. Just like learning a new exercise routine, you can learn organizing skills which you can apply in every aspect of your life.

Both have to be maintained.You don’t exercise one time and your muscles are fit. The same goes with organizing a space, however, most folks seem to think of organizing as a one-time fix. You don’t clean your house or office one time and never have to do it again. Lots of living and activity go on in a house and office. For those of you who wanted to hear there was a “magic wand fix,” I apologize for bursting your bubble here.

Both can be better when done with a friend.These ladies gather together for their exercise because they support and encourage one another in a variety of ways. Encouragement: It is one of the most powerful words I know. Having someone to help and support you in your organizing efforts will ensure success.

You can have setbacks in both. “Practice makes…better,” is the mantra of our friend and beloved Pastor, Bobby Vitek. You will have days where you have interruptions in your fitness schedule and things that deter you from your organizing goals. Organization is NOT about perfection; it is about simple, sensible solutions for real people in everyday life.

The results are rewarding. The results of getting fit: feeling better, looking better, better health numbers where it counts (i.e. cholesterol), reducing stress, getting those endorphins pumping, and then later, sleeping better. The results of getting organized: peace of mind, reducing stress, reducing mental clutter, being able to enjoy your space, finding things when you need them, productivity, and saving money. What would getting (more) organized do for you? You fill in the blank: ________.

I was watching Good Morning America early this Valentine’s Morning and was surprised to see that some folks are SO busy they are even hiring services such as EFlirt to outsource crafting their flirtatious emails to potential on-line dating suitors. I was laughing to myself, thinking, “…if you don’t have time to craft an email to a potential suitor, do you think you are going to have the actual time it takes to do the work of making a relationship work?” Seriously! But I suppose it is a symptom of the frenetically busy lives we all lead.

That said, dear readers, in our crazy busy world, besides child care (which is a given that all parents need a break now and then), what all do YOU outsource or seek outside help with? I would love your feedback!

If you want to start your morning being the MOST effective and productive, TAKE 10 to 15 minutes at the end of the prior day updating your master list, grouping like projects / items (I like using clear Project Files from The Container Store), and putting away unnecessary files.

When you walk into your office and it looks like The Tasmanian Devil (cartoon) has made a pass by your desk, it’s not a good way to start your day. By spending those valuable minutes the day before, it now helps to set the tone for the new, productive day, which you now control.

An additional bonus to this 10 to 15 minutes spent? It allows you to help establish priorities and clear your mind of the day’s tasks. Knowing you have taken this time will allow you to decompress on the trip home and at least, mentally, leave work at the office, until tomorrow.

When our kiddos were in middle school, the house we lived in only had 2 bathrooms. Grooming had become a VERY important part of the morning routine for our daughter and son, then in middle school. Many a morning dispute arose over who had been in the bathroom too long. I quickly found a simple solution!

Egg Timer

A few weeks later, my sister was visiting. I was in the kitchen when I heard her laughing and calling to me from the hallway. “Sis, please tell me what an egg timer is doing in your bathroom!” I explained that when that timer “dinged,” each child knew their time was up: no arguing with one another; no arguing with me; the timer helped by giving an AUDIBLE BOUNDARY.

More than ever today, people get lost in the amount of time they spend on projects. Clients and colleagues as well, admit they intended only to check their email, ended up logging onto FaceBook, which then led to someone’s (then) interesting blog, and suddenly, they find they wasted almost their entire morning.

At National Conference this spring in Ohio, one of my product favs was the Time Timer. Their tag line is “Make Every Moment Count.” The abstract concept of elapsed time is easy to see and understand with their graphic depiction. This tool allows users to manage time more effectively in meetings, classrooms, therapy sessions, testing venues, at home and any other activities which require limits be set. There are different types of tools to fit any type of user: Some the size of a small alarm clock, large visuals for education, wrist watches, software apps for your computer and iphone — endless possibilities.

Time Timer

Whether you choose a simple egg or kitchen timer or one of the many options that Time Timer has to offer, I challenge you to use a timer for just 1 week. SEE YOUR PRODUCTIVITY SOAR!

One of my favorite books on time management and productivity isn’t the newest one on the market. It was re-written in 2005 after its original writing in 1996 for the Hertz Corporation and its then struggling employees. In “Organizing for Success, author Ken Ziegler includes a fantastic quote that I often share with my audiences: “From time waste there can be no salvage. It is the easiest of all waste and the hardest to correct because it does not litter the floor.” — Henry Ford.

With that, I usually hear some dreadful groans and then the room grows dimly silent — as the truth of that statement is sobering, given the frenetic way in which we live our lives today. “However,” I go on to encourage my audience, “Time CAN BE the great equalizer.” It is simply a series of CHOICES. Your time IS truly your own.

Whether you are seeking to gain control of your time for purposes of time management, efficiency, achieving goals or improving your quality of life, make good and wise choices each day, my friends. Then reap the rewards of owning your time.

I just completed an audible book from www.audible.com. It is called “The Greatest Book on Coaching for Small Business,” by Terry Ostrowiak. This audible book, 2 hrs. 25 min., was packed with so many positive gems. If you are a small business or a small business coach, it’s a keeper. But don’t shy away if you don’t fit into those categories – there are tips throughout for encouraging others in our daily walk of life (and who doesn’t need that!). ~ Kat Jacoby

Terry Ostrowiak is a Business Catalyst who assists open-minded executives, in small businesses, to achieve Quantum Leap Results, targets and goals, faster and more easily than they could do it on their own.

A featured speaker at international conferences, Terry has shared the platform with Earl Nightingale, one of the world’s foremost experts on “success”, and Og Mandino, the renowned motivational speaker and leading author on “success” with sales of more than 30 million books.